LINCOLN - In preparation for its 100th anniversary and patronal feast day, the St. Francis of Assisi community is hosting an “Asian Food Fest” along with chapel tours and a noon blessing of animals Oct. 3.
Events will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Participants may visit the parish website at www.stfrancislincoln.org for the complete schedule and to pre-order food.
The St. Francis of Assisi Chapel is one of the most historically significant and beautiful churches in Lincoln. Its stained glass, art, and remarkable architecture share in the joys and sorrows of those who passed through the old St. Elizabeth Hospital leaving a lasting impression on many generations. At one time, however, the priceless treasure was scheduled for demolition.
The Sisters of St. Francis opened the original St. Elizabeth’s hospital in Lincoln in 1889 in a large house at 12th and South streets. The main wing was started in 1901. The chapel was added in 1921 as part of the east wing addition. Hospital chapels at that time were built with the finest materials available to be beautiful and provide “honor and glory to God.”
The liturgical design studio of Emil Frei & Associates of St Louis, established in 1898, produced the so-called “crown jewels” of the parish, the 25 stained-glass windows. Originally purchased for $4,500, the windows carry the signature of the company and, while noted for their beauty are also unusual for being such a large collection of windows preserved in one church. In fact, the windows are a featured part of the company’s portfolio on their website to this day.
Emil Frei, a Bavarian immigrant, worked in the Munich Pictorial Style of stained glass. Like other aspects of the Gothic Revival, Emil Frei & Associates stained glass designs are not simply copies of medieval stained glass designs; instead they are created with a Raphael-inspired Italian Renaissance compositional style, with carefully delineated and shaded figures. Multiple artists would work on each window, each specializing in particular areas, such as faces or landscapes. These windows are especially beautiful for the detail in the hands, feet, and faces.
The chapel became an integral part of the life of the hospital and its spiritual center. It was used for retreats by the priests and nuns and for prayer by patients and their families. Ordinations were held there and morning Mass was attended by nursing students before going on to their daily assignments.
In 1970, the St. Elizabeth hospital moved to new facilities on South 70th Street and the old hospital, along with the chapel, was purchased by Lancaster County for use as a nursing home. As the main facilities deteriorated, the County decided to build a new nursing care facility in 1983. Anne Senkbeil and Louise Slatinsky discovered in 1986 that the chapel was slated for demolition during their research to catalog stained glass windows in local churches. Along with Sister Barbara Ann Braun, they spearheaded a drive to preserve the chapel. 
In 1987, the County Commissioners spared the chapel and approved funds to build a front face for it after the demolition of the attached hospital, which occurred in 1994. The St. Francis Chapel Foundation was created to manage the ongoing preservation efforts and the chapel took on a new life as a non-denominational community center – hosting concerts, weddings, and meetings by local community organizations.
In July 1998, the Lancaster County Board of Commissioners voted to sell the chapel to the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter (FSSP), a religious order of priests who serve in apostolates across the world with the celebration of the traditional Mass and sacraments in the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite. This marked the building’s return to use as an active Catholic church, and the St. Francis of Assisi Oratory was established to serve the needs of the Tridentine Mass Apostolate, which had been given to the care of the FSSP in 1994.
Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz blessed and rededicated the building as St. Francis of Assisi Church Jan. 24, 1999.
Under the guidance and craftsmanship of its first rector, Father Karl Pikus, FSSP, the church and its stained glass windows were preserved and the interior of the church beautified with frescos and wall detailing. The restoration – with Neo-Gothic architecture, Italian Renaissance-style stained glass windows, white carrera marble sanctuary, art deco tapestry, statues, stations of the cross, murals, and paintings – is a fitting place for offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
